Sermon for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 19, 2019Delivered by the Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas at Haydenville Congregational Church, Haydenville, MA John 13:31-15 What a blessing to be with you this morning! I serve as Missioner for Creation Care for the Massachusetts Conference UCC, and for the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts. I travel from place to place, speaking about our…

By Pat James I’ve had several trees that I counted as special. Trees I climbed, explored, hid in, hung from by my knees, read in, ate from, and a few times, fell from. A while ago Carla posted a video of Kai scampering up a tall tree as if she belonged there, as if it were home.  Did you have a special…

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Peter Ives, Haydenville Congregational Chuch,  Christmas Eve, 2018. Based on Luke 2: 1- 20        These were dark and difficult days when a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all should be taxed.  Caesar was trying to raise money for more soldiers, in places like Nazareth, to crush the rebellion against harsh Roman rule. That…

     By Rev. Dr, Peter Ives — A sermon delivered at Haydenville Congregational Church, Nov. 18, 2018, the Sunday before Thanksgiving.         A number of years ago, I was on a train traveling from Istanbul to London.  Because of a cholera outbreak, I had been delayed in Istanbul for a week, and I was very low on money.  In fact, I…

   By Rev. Dr. Peter Ives  Sermon delivered Sunday, Sept. 1, 2018  TEXT: Luke 4: 16-21                    We are calling a new minister to our church sometime later this Fall, or early next year.  Calling a new minister is a deeply moving experience both for the persons applying to be our new minister, and for the search…